Wheeled into my heart
by Alice O'flynn
Summary: After an accident left Marinette unable to walk, she has been different. Broken. So when the Ladybug Miraculous gives Marinette the chance to walk, she can't really pass it up. This new school year gives Marinette a chance to heal. While for Adrien, after a misunderstanding, has gotten on Alya and Marinette's bad side, he want to learn more about the girl in the wheelchair
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Miraculous ladybug, or any of these beautiful characters (Sadly)**

 _ **Hey, it's me again. I know it's been a while since I posted something. But a guest commented on one of my stories, and gave me an idea for a WheelchairAU, and I just couldn't pass it up. So here it is. I hope you all like it. Please let me know what you think. I love you all, and hope you like this story, as much as I do. - Alice O'Flynn**_

"That's not nice, Chloe," Adrien scolded the blonde, as he saw her place gum on the classroom seat.

"The girls who sat there yesterday need to learn a lesson," Chloe laughed, brushing off Adrien's reproach. Adrien knelt down, trying to take the gum off the seat, resigned to the fact that Chloe wouldn't.

"Oh, how nice," A brunette said from behind Adrien, her tone scathing. "Let me guess, you're Chloe's friend,"

"Yes… Why does everyone keep saying that?" Adrien mused, standing up.

"Why else would you be putting gum on Marinette's seat? Honestly, you're just like Chloe," Alya said, promoting laughter from Sabrina and Chloe. "Very funny you three." Her tone was murderous.

"I didn't…." Adrien started to protest, wanting to defend himself. He didn't want to make enemies on the first day of school.

"You make me sick, the way you guys treat her. Honestly…." Alya's tone was dark, but she got cut off by a calm, quiet voice.

"It's alright, Alya," Marinette said, with misty eyes, coming up behind Alya.

"But it's not Mari…." Alya started, but was cut off by Marinette raising her hand.

"It's okay, I'm used to it. I'm too tired to…." She trailed off, as she maneuvered her wheelchair closer to her seat. "It's alright," Her voice was worn, as she took a piece of paper out of her backpack, and placed it over the gum. Before moving from her wheelchair, onto the bench.

"But Mari…." Alya protested, though this time, she sounded heartbroken. She wanted to fight for her friend, while Marinette seemed resigned to her fate. She didn't like how easily Marinette took Chloe's bullying. Like Chloe had been doing it for so long, that it just become a part of Marinette's day. It was odd how protective the brunette was, or a girl she had only met the day before, but she instantly wanted to protect the blue haired girl. And seeing how much the girl was hurting, made her heart ache for her.

"I'm sorry," Adrien tried to apologise, but Marinette was ignoring him. Tears starting to roll down her face, as she was looking down at the desk. And Alya was glaring at him murderously. He wanted to do more, to actually apologise to Marinette, but it seemed like she wasn't listening to him. He deflated, looking a bit like a kicked puppy, and went to his seat.

"Wow, that was rough dude," Nino said, patting Adrien on the back. "Why didn't you tell them you didn't do it?"

"I tried, but they weren't listening to me. And it's not like I have the best reputation here, given the fact that I'm Chloe's friend. But she's my only friend, we've been friends since childhood." Adrien explained.

"Then you need to make new friends. I'm Nino," He said, extending his hand out to Adrien. "And the girl you just met was Marinette. You should try to be her friend as well."

"She doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with me." Adrien said, sadly.

"I'm sure she'll listen if you explained what happened. But just… Maybe wait until Alya isn't around. She looks like she will kill you if you try and approach Mari again." Nino said, noticing how Alya was still staring at Adrien.

"She seems very protective of her friend. Did they grow up together?"

"Nope, they just met about twenty four hours ago. But that is kind of the way things go for Marinette. I bet half the school would actually kill for her. The only reason the rest of the class didn't run you out, is because they saw that it was Chloe. Marinette is loved by everyone. Well, that's everyone except Chloe, and Sabrina. We were devastated when the accident happened…."

"The accident…?" Adrien inquired.

"It's what landed Mari in the chair. Before that, she was the captain of the track team. Best runner in the whole school. If Mari was in the competition, she won. It was as that. But one day, on their way to a track meet, a lorry crashed into their car, leaving Mari in the hospital. And without the use of her legs. It almost killed her." Nino seemed a bit shaken at that point, "She made it through, but the doctors said she would never walk again. She took it hard. But so did the rest of the class…."

"Why is that?" Adrien was curious.

"As I said, the entire class…. well, the entire school loved her. Kim used to challenge her, like he now challenges Alix. And Marinette always won. He always played upset, but he would keep challenging her. I think he was half in love with her. And after the accident, he was heartbroken. He treats her like she's fragile, now. In an almost dotting manner. She used to be a part of Juleka and Rose's band. But after the accident, they broke up. It just wasn't the same when Mari wasn't there. And Nath… Nathaniel didn't come to class for about a week after. I heard rumors that he spent most of his time at the hospital with Mari. And Mari…. Well, she just seemed resigned to it. It broke our hearts when she came back… Because…. Because she wasn't herself anymore. She used to be a strong, confident, motivated girl. Now, she's meek, always trying to hide away, let's Chloe walk all over her, and her self confidence is completely shot. She came back broken. That was the hardest thing." Nino seemed to be tearing up.

"That's awful…" Adrien tried to think of how to comfort his new friend.

"She used to be my best friend… I want the old Mari back. I want her to be herself again. But she isn't the same. Even if she can't walk or run again, I want the confident Mari back." Nino said, sounding heartbroken, as he sent a glance over to the girl in question. "I want her to be herself again." Nino would have gone on, but Mme. Bustier called attention to class, and started taking role.

"Bruel, Ivan," Mme. Bustier called, as a part of role. And Stoneheart burst through the door, yelling present. The class scattered, all trying to get away from the akuma. But Marinette simply shrunk in her seat. Terrified what would happen, since she couldn't really get away, and she was still scared of failing as Ladybug again. So she simply hid away behind her desk, as the akuma grabbed Mylene, and Chloe.

 _ **A/N: I wanted to hop in here, and let you know that I edited out a bit of the story. The reason being, the last paragraph just didn't fit. I had wanted to mention Ladybug in this chapter, but it just seemed rushed, and didn't make much sense. I hope this is better, and makes more sense how it is now. As always, I would love to hear your feedback for the story!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Miraculous Ladybug**

"Pound it!" Ladybug and Chat Noir said, giving each other a fist bump. Ladybug was practically bouncing with excitement. They had defeated Stoneheart and captured the akuma, and she felt like she was on top of the world. She could do this, be a hero and all. And, she had to admit, it was addicting. Not only the rush of adrenaline from swinging all around Paris, fighting villains, and the danger. But also the fact that she could walk again. Run again. Be herself again. No longer broken.

A beep sounded from her earrings, making ladybug freeze. The sound was like a bucket of cold water dumped over her. All of a sudden, she was pulled back into reality. She couldn't be Ladybug all the time. She had to go back to being Broken Marinette. Marinette who couldn't walk. Who couldn't do all of the things she could as Ladybug. Marinette who she was starting to hate.

"My Lady, are you okay?" Chat Noir asked, noticing the change in Ladybug.

"I…" Ladybug's eyes were shimmering with tears. "I have to go," she said, tears starting to stream down her face. Swinging away on her yo-yo, she headed back to the school, as fast as she could. Hoping to make it back to her chair before the transformation ran out. As she practically collapsed into her chair, the final beeping of her earrings rang through the empty classroom. Her transformation dropped, and she breathed a sigh of relief that she made it in time. That she was safe.

"That was close," Tikki commented, her voice chipper as always. She didn't seem to notice the fear that struck Marinette's heart. As she realized how dangerous it was for her to cut it so close. What if she didn't make it back to her chair on time?" "Mari?" Tikki asked, when she noticed the look of fear on her chosen's face.

"What if I cut it too close? What if I don't make it back in time? I can't really go anywhere without my chair." Marinette worried aloud. "I knew I shouldn't have agreed to be Ladybug. I can't do it. I just… I just don't know if I can give up my ability to walk again. I don't want to… But…" Marinette's hands went up to her earrings, as she started to remove one. Tears flooded her eyes, and rolled down her cheeks.

"Wait, Marinette, Stop!" Tikki said, panicking. "You just defeated Stoneheart. You are doing a great job. Really." Marinette's hands dropped into her lap. But she still wasn't convinced.

"But what if I don't make it back on time?" Marinette asked, already sounding slightly defeated. It was hard for her to find the will to give it up so easily. She wanted to be selfish, but she knew that whomever chose her, chose wrong. And knowing that, she knew she had to give it up. For the good of the victims. For the good of Chat Noir. For the good of Paris. But this once, just this once, she wanted to be selfish.

"Then just make sure to keep extra cookies with you. Remember, I can transform again after I've had something to eat. If you keep me stocked up on cookies I will be good to go." Tikki said making Marinette give up just a little more. "And besides, you were chosen for a reason. You are Ladybug, and you were destined to be Ladybug. The guardian knew you in a wheelchair when he chose you. And, your willingness to give up on what you really want, for the good of all of Paris… For the good of others, instead of for you. That proves to me that you are by far the best choice for Ladybug."

"I can't keep fighting with you. I may be selfish, but I don't want to give this up." Marinette said, as Tikki came up and snuggled against her face. Drying the tears of her Chosen.

"I don't think you could be selfish if you tried, Marinette," Tikki commented, smiling at her chosen. She liked this ladybug, more than some of the others. And she didn't want another chosen. She wanted this one. The sound of a door opening sent the kwami flying into Marinette's purse, so she wouldn't be caught.

"I can't believe I left my bag in the classroom, seriously…." Alya ranted, as she entered the classroom. Freezing when she saw Marinette still there. "Mari?"

"Hi Alya…" Marinette said, meekly, looking up at her.

"Girl, what are you doing still here?" Alya asked, hurrying over to her friend.

"Well…. You see…. I was going to go home, after the akuma left, but then I realized that I didn't know where he was going, and the only place that was safe was inside the classroom…. And I was…. I was scared," Marinette rambled, lying. She hated lying, especially to her friends, but she had to, to keep her identity secret. But some of it was true, she had been scared, terrified, but she fought through it, and won.

"It's alright to be scared, it's not like it's normal for you class to be interrupted by a stone monster." Alya said, before noticing Marinette's red rimmed eyes. "Mari, you've been crying," she said, worried.

"It's nothing," Marinette said, looking down.

"It's not nothing, girl," Alya put her hand on Marinette's shoulder.

"I don't want to talk about it…" Marinette trailed off.

"Alright girl, I won't push it. But I may push you home. Your parents are probably as worried about you as I am." Alya said, trying to lighten the mood with humor, which got a smile from Marinette.

"That I won't object to. Not if it means having your company. I don't mind if you push me around," Marinette joked back, already feeling better. "You know, if you bring me back home, you better be ready for my parents to shower you with pastries. Or at least, ask you to stay for lunch."

"That I don't mind, girl." Alya said, maneuvering the chair for Marinette. Which Marinette did not mind. After everything that happened that day, Marinette was exhausted. She had forgotten how much energy it took to run around like that. And honestly, she had a lot less energy after the accident. And so, and Alya pushed her home, she looked forward to collapsing into her bed, and falling asleep almost immediately. She was utterly exhausted.

 _ **Hey, I hope you like the second chapter of Wheeled into my heart. I absolutely loved this chapter while writing it, because I feel that Marinette's conflict only proves that she is the perfect ladybug. This chapter came out of one paragraph that I tacked on to the first chapter. And when I edited it, and removed that paragraph, I got the idea for this chapter, which I like much better. I hope you are all are having a wonderful day. And I would love to hear from you! - Alice O'Flynn**_


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Miraculous Ladybug, though I wish I did**

Marinette was running late, again. Though it hadn't been her fault this time. Well, not exactly. Her morning was spent by being lectured by her parents. They did it out of concern. They had been so worried for her during the akuma attack. Of course they were worried. They had been worried when she had wanted to go back to school after the accident. Almost hadn't let her. They were worried whenever she went out with friends. So, when a supervillain started terrorizing Paris, they decided that it was time for some new rules. Rules to keep Marinette safe. But going straight home had seemed very unlikely. So they had spent the entire morning figuring out new family rules.

It had taken a bit longer than any of them expected, meaning that, along with an actual list of new rules, she had a note for her teacher, from her parents, to explain her absence. A not that she handed to Mme. Bustier when she entered the classroom ten minutes late.

"I'm sorry, Mme. Bustier…" Marinette said, weakly, as she handed the letter to her teacher.

"No worries, Marinette," Mme. Bustier responded kindly. Obviously used to it.

"Thank you," Marinette mumbled, heading to her seat, and transferring from her chair, and onto the bench with ease. She noticed Adrien watching her, and made a bit of a show of looking away from him. Down at the desk.

Adrien had to admit that he was a bit worried for this girl. He hadn't seen her leave the classroom with the rest of the class the day before. And he saw the obvious terror on her face, as she shrunk away from the akuma. Not only that, but with what Nino said the other day, he had a very clear image of this girl. And it saddened him. Even though he hadn't known her before the accident, he wished he had. He wanted to see this beautiful girl be strong, and confident. Like she once was. Even though he barely knew her, he felt drawn to her. He cared for her. And she… She hated him, he was sure of that. After what happened yesterday…

"Dude," Nino whispered, harshly, to get his attention. When Adrien looked away from Marinette, Nino continued. "If you care that much, apologise. Don't just make puppy dog eyes at her from across the room. It's kinda creepy."

"I was not making puppy dog eyes," Adrien protested, with a slight blush.

"Yeah right dude." Nino chuckled. "Anyway, apologise, she'll forgive you. Trust me."

"I don't think I'll ever have a chance to talk to her. She seems to want nothing to do with me." Adrien admitted sadly.

"Mari isn't the type to hold grudges. Not even against Chloe. And man did that girl do some cruel stuff to her."

"I'm almost afraid to ask."

"Let's just say the accident wasn't the only thing that broke her. But then again, Chloe's words never seemed to get to her before… Did you know, Chloe once stole Mari's diary, back when Mari used to bring her diary to school, and write in it whenever she had a spare chance. Chloe then proceeded to read it aloud in class. Before teasing her mercilessly for her crush on Je3an Duparc. A boy at our school that she liked a few years back." Nino explained. "After that, Marinette was heartbroken. There have been a few times since that guys in our school have asked her out, but she never says yes. Though she doesn't like Jean anymore, she doesn't want to subject any guy she likes to Chloe's ridicule, like she unintentionally did to Jean. It really affected her."

"Chloe stole her diary?" Adrien asked in disbelief.

"Yep," Nino nodded.

Wow, I knew she could be harsh, but…." Adrien glanced at his childhood friend, with some anger. He couldn't believe she would actually go that far.

"He keeps looking at you," Alya grumbled, and Marinette spared the blond boy another glance.

"Probably trying to figure out what's wrong with me… Or coming up with ideas for Chloe's next prank," Marinette's voice was dejected.

"Nino seems to be taking to him. So maybe he's not that bad… After all, Nino doesn't seem like the kind of guy to be mean to you. So maybe Adrien isn't that bad…. But I still can't believe he put gum on your seat." Alya said, causing Marinette to look up again.

"If Nino seems to be his friend, he can't be all bad," Marinette agreed. "But still…."

"Mari, what's wrong? You don't seem like yourself. You seem pretty down today." Alya commented. Marinette replied by handing her a piece of paper. "Rule 1: If at all possible, come straight home during an akuma attack. Rule 2: Send us a text to let us know you're safe. Rule 3: Ask for help. You have your limitations, don't let yourself get hurt because of them. Rule 4: Keep your phone on you at all times. Rule 5: Check in with us throughout the school day, if it ever gets to be too much, we'll come and get you." Alya read, before handing the note back to Marinette. "That's rough,"

"Yeah…" Marinette said, resigned.

"At least they aren't keeping you locked up…" Alya joked, but when she noticed the grimace on Marinette's face, she realized that it struck pretty close to home.

"Yeah," Marinette murmured.

Rain poured down, making the sidewalk slippery. Marinette held her hand out to catch the rain, while she stayed mostly under the awning at the school's entrance. She inwardly cringed at the thought of going out into the downpour. It wasn't like she could use an umbrella, even if she had brought one. She needed both her hands to wheel herself home.

"Hey," Adrien said, coming up next to her. Marinette turned her face from the blond boy. After the day she had, she couldn't stand any more mean hearted words, or pranks. "I just wanted to let you know that I was only trying to take the chewing gum off your seat. I swear. Nino can vouch for me. I've never been to school before. I've never had friends. It's all sort of new to me."

"I believe you," Marinette said, quietly. She was surprised when Adrien offered her his umbrella. Her eyes opened wide.

"You shouldn't have to get wet in the rain. I have a driver. We could take you home if you want…" He offered, one hand in his pocket, the other still holding the umbrella out to her.

"There… There is no need. I actually live across the street," she explained.

"Then please let me walk you." Adrien begged, smiling when Marinette nodded, taking the umbrella in one hand. Adrien pushed the wheelchair for her, glad that Marinette wasn't holding a grudge. "I'm sorry for how Chloe has treated you. She's been my friend since childhood, so I haven't really seen this kind of behavior from her before. She's always on her best behavior for me."

"Honestly, it's just how life is for me now."

"Well, it shouldn't be."

"But it is."

"It shouldn't be," Adrien protested again. "No one should be treated like that." When they reached the door to Marinette's house, Marinette got out her keys and opened the door.

"Thank you, Adrien," Marinette said with a soft smile. She wasn't sure why, but butterflies started fluttering about in her stomach, and her heart beat faster. She was also very aware of the heat rising in her cheeks. She wasn't sure why, but she was pretty sure it had something to do with the dazzling smile he was giving her.

"It was no problem," Adrien said kindly. Marinette offered him back his umbrella. When he took the umbrella back, their fingers brushed, causing both of them to blush. "See you tomorrow," he said, turning around to walk away. But mainly, to hide his blush from her.

"Uh… See you to...mo….tomo…. Ha ha! Whoa, why am I stammering?" Marinette asked, as she saw Adrien start to walk to his car, which was parked in front of the school.

"I might have an idea," Tikki said slyly.

"First day of school, and we already have two lovebirds." Plagg teased, causing Adrien to turn bright red.

"She's just a friend," Adrien said, his voice slightly squeaky. "A friend…" He said again, with a small smile.

 _ **Thank you all for reading, and reviewing this story. I love to hear from you. Now we have come to the end of the Origins episodes, I will likely start straying from canon a bit more. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I love you all - Alice O'Flynn**_


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't own Miraculous Ladybug**

Patrols were a thing for Ladybug. It had taken months for Chat Noir to find this out, and when he did, he insisted on joining them. Far be it from him to leave the duties of being a hero to his beautiful partner. And he wasn't going to give up on spending time with his Lady. So he soon joined her on her nightly excursions.

Patrols, if you had asked Marinette, were a sort of Physical Therapy. Although Physical therapy hadn't really worked that well for Mari. She didn't feel like she was making much progress, and her physical therapy appointments every week were a cause for dread. Not only was it hard, and excruciatingly painful at times, but she also had to deal with her physical therapist's false cheer, false promises. It was easy to cheer others on, when you're not the one in the chair. Marinette didn't want to 'celebrate' being able to move her pinky toe again, or the fact that she could flex her foot. That had nothing to do with running again.

Her physical therapist kept telling her that she could do it. That she could walk again. But her legs had been crushed, shattered, almost beyond repair. And they were weak, and so painful. Even though everyone was telling her she was making good progress, she was still in pain, and she still couldn't walk. Almost every one of the six different physical therapists she had in the past two years said she would walk again. Two of them even said she would be able to run again. But Marinette had a hard time believing them, when after two years, she could still barely move her legs.

So, maybe the nightly runs were less about physical therapy, and more about mental health. After all, once she became ladybug, her therapist told her she was improving by leaps and bounds (Ha!). The therapist her parents insisted on hiring after the accident, when they noticed the depression she had fallen into, had stuck around longer than any of the physical therapists. She still had the same one she had at first. Still, it hadn't done that much help, but at least she had someone to talk to.

The nightly runs might have been many things. But, for Marinette, they had nothing to do with the safety of Paris. It was just what people assumed when they saw their hero bounding over the rooftops. And, honestly, Ladybug didn't mind when Chat joined her, though at first she acted like she did. She enjoyed his company. She loved being able to talk to him. He was her best friend… In a way. Alya and Nino were still her best friends. But they didn't know her the way Chat did. They knew her as Marinette, the sad, broken girl. Even though Nino had been her best friend before the accident, he knew the real Marinette, there was still a look of pity and sadness in his eyes whenever he looked at her. A look she had seen in all of her friends eyes. All except Chat's. He didn't know the sad, broken Marinette. All he knew was Ladybug, the perfect Ladybug. The girl she used to be, and longed to be again.

It was heartbreaking, at times. Getting to be Ladybug for only a short amount of time, before having to return to the chair, return to the life she hated. But Marinette had a high pain tolerance, both physically, and emotionally. That's why she hadn't been akumatized yet. She could deal with a lot of pain before it became unbearable.

It was heartbreaking, having to keep Chat in the dark. He always talked about the perfect ladybug, which only reminded her of imperfect Marinette. He said he didn't care who the girl under the mask was, she would still be his best friend, but he didn't know her. Didn't know what she was. Didn't know that she couldn't do the things Ladybug could do. And she was sure that Chat wouldn't like the version of her she had become. Wouldn't love a girl in a chair.

That was the most heartbreaking part of all. Because she loved Chat. Most people would call it just a crush, but no, she loved him. She loved that he treated her like a normal person, loved how kind, and funny he was. Loved how he was so willing to sacrifice himself for her. But would he do the same for Marinette? Would he treat Marinette like a normal person…. No, because she wasn't. He wouldn't love Marinette. And all his silly flirts… That was just it. She could see that he didn't feel that way about Ladybug either. No, he had told her before, there was a girl he cared about, another girl he loved. A girl better than her. A girl perfect. A girl who could walk….

"Good evening, my lady," Chat Noir said, landing next to Ladybug's perch on the eiffel tower. Not quite noticing her red rimmed eyes, or the tears that trickled down her face.

"Good day, Chaton," she replied, looking over at him with a smile, and ruffling his hair. Playing it normal. So that he wouldn't know how heartbroken she was. "How was your side of Paris?"

"All fine, and beautiful," she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, when he was looking away, and turned to look out at the city of lights. "How was your day?" Ladybug usually didn't like talking about that kind of stuff. She usually kept everything professional. But sometimes, after a really bad day, all she wanted was a nice conversation, one that didn't somehow revolve around her disability.

"It is so much better now that I'm with you," Chat said, with a flourish, gaining an eye roll, and a soft smile from Ladybug.

"You know, if you keep flirting like that, I might think you like me, instead of that cute classmate you told me about." Ladybug winked, but her heart tugged as she was saying it.

"I didn't mean it like that, my lady. Though I always enjoy spending time with you. You're my best friend. And to be honest, today was kind of boring. I had a pho… I mean, I had to go to work after school, so I couldn't hang out with my friends. Being here is the highlight of my day." He hadn't enjoyed his day. He would have much rather spent it with Nino, Marinette and Alya. But unfortunately, that was the burden of being a famous model. Your social life is on hold for your job.

"I guess I can't call you a flirt. Your argument made way too much sense." Ladybug smiled. "My day wasn't the best, either. My best friends were hanging out after school, and I couldn't join, because I had an… an appointment that I couldn't miss," she explained. The physical therapy appointment hadn't gone well. She had expected all the night runs as Ladybug would help her walk again. But she was still in the same place she had been weeks ago. Nothing had changed, nothing had improved.

"Sounds like the appointment didn't go well," Chat commented, not only noticing her tone of voice, but noticing the pain in her eyes.

"Yeah, it was pretty useless. I got no where, nothing doine," she groaned. "But at least I'm able to come out here and be useful. In my civilian life, I feel pretty useless. Especially after bad appointments like today. Ladybug is a way to get through it all. Kind of like therapy," she admitted, opening up more than she meant to. But a small part of her wanted Chat to know. After all, maybe it would help…. Or maybe he would just look at her with pity like everyone else did.

"I doubt you're useless in your civilian life," Chat gave her a kind smile. But she wasn't convinced.

"You don't know me… I'm nothing like Ladybug…" Marinette said, tears starting to well up in her eyes, once again. Tears that refused to be held back again.

"I know you, you're the brave, strong girl who saves Paris on a daily basis,"

"But I told you, I'm nothing like Ladybug. I'm…. you don't even know the girl behind the mask." The conversation had come up before, and each time, it brought her to tears. Even if she held them back in front of Chat, most of the time. It always made her cry.

"Then why don't you show me the girl behind the mask?" he asked.

"I can't, and you know it," she turned away from him, not wanting him to see the tears she couldn't hold back. She wanted to tell him who she was, and was scared dat the same time. She loved him, and she couldn't bear losing him. But she wanted him to know…

"My lady, why won't you let me see who you are? Do you not trust me?" he asked, staring out at the city of lights, the city of love.

"I do trust you, Chat," she scuffed her feet, staring down at the ground, as she tried to figure out what to say. She hated doing this to him. She knew her denial to let him know who she was hurt him, it hurt her to. But…. it was better this way… Tikki told her they couldn't let anyone know who they were…. and Marinette hid behind it, to keep from the pain that she could hardly bear.

"Then why don't you want to share our identities?" his voice was filled with frustration. He didn't understand, he couldn't understand. Although she was pretty sure his Kwami had told him the same thing. They couldn't know who each other was. Yet, Marinette knew that was also a flimsy excuse for why she wasn't letting him know who she was.

"You see me as Ladybug, not the girl behind the mask. You think you know everything about me, but there are some things my miraculous hides. You're looking for the miraculous hero of Paris, and that's not me. That's not who I am outside the mask, and you…" Tears streamed down her face, and plopped softly onto the metal floor of the Eiffel Tower observation deck. She was not the girl he thought she was. And Marinette, plain old Marinette, broken Marinette, would disappoint him. She was not ready to lose him.

"You are ladybug, with or without the mask. You are the same brave, beautiful, selfless girl. No matter what," he countered. "Without the mask, you can still do…."

"You don't understand!" Ladybug cut him off, yelling. "I can't. I can't…" I can't even walk… "I can't' do this right now. I'm going, and don't you dare follow me, because I swear, if you do…" She swung her yo-yo, hooking it around a nearby building. "I'll…" But she couldn't finish the threat, so she simply swung away, letting the threat hang in the air.

 ** _This update took longer than expected, and I'm sorry about it. I've been rather busy, so haven't really been focused on the story. Theater life is pretty time consuming. And I have been working on my own original stories. So, yeah, a pretty stressful life. As always, I would love to hear from all of you. Love you all! -Alice O'Flynn_**


	5. Chapter 5

**I do not own Miraculous Ladybug**

Chat stood there, stunned. His lady had never gotten that angry with him before. And she certainly never yelled at him before. Though he did remember how she usually got very short with him whenever he suggested sharing identities…. Though today… Well, she had said she had a bad day, maybe that's why she was more upset than usual. After all, Adrien himself got a bit snippy after a long photoshoot, or a bad day. Something had happened at her appointment, it must have gone bad. And something he said reminded her of it. He felt bad for making her so mad, and promised himself he would apologise to her the next time they saw each other.

Using his baton, he started heading back towards his house, knowing there was nothing he could do to fix his mistake, until the next day. He launched himself through the city, stopping abruptly on the roof of Francois Dupont High School, when he heard the sound of crying coming from the neighboring roof. Marinette's balcony.

He quickly launched himself from the roof of the high school, to her balcony. She didn't notice him, it seemed. She was laying face down on her lawn chair, sobbing.

Marinette hadn't wanted to fight with Chat. Hated to do it. But he thought she was a hero even without the mask, and that simply wasn't true. He would be disappointed to find that she couldn't even walk. That she was broken. And so she cried, sobbing away pain, hoping that it would ease.

Adrien quietly walked up to the girl on the lawn chair, kneeling down beside it, and placing his hand on her shoulder. "Princess?" he said softly, and she flipped over, to look at him. Her eyes were red rimmed, and tears flowed freely down her face. And it broke his heart.

He loved this girl. She was his friend. But not only that… She was so much more than that to him. And she was beautiful. At school, he could see glimpses of the girl she used to be. The brave, strong willed, confident Marinette that Nino said was lost in the accident. But Adrien knew she wasn't lost, only hiding. Only covered up by worry, and fear. But those times when Adrien could see the true Marinette seeping through the cracks, he thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He felt drawn to her, wanted to stay by her side, and felt like he needed to. He wanted to protect her, and wanted to prove to her how beautiful she was.

It was hard for him to see the most girl he had ever met, have zero self confidence. And he wanted to prove to her that she was worth so much more than she thought. She was so much more than her disability. But she seemed blinded by it, in a way. Believing that people only saw her for the chair. And every time Chloe talked to her, it seemed like it was the blonde's goal to break Marinette.

He knew Chloe was just jealous. After all, she was used to people fawning over her, loving her. But when people started fawning over Marinette, she hated it. He remembered what she had said to him when Marinette was first in her class, though he hadn't known Marinette at the time. Chloe hated that everyone loved Marinette more than her.

"Chat Noir?" Marinette said, slightly bewildered, breaking Chat out of his reverie. There was a flash of anger in her eyes, before it settled into resignation. Chat didn't know what to think of it, but quickly shook it off, in favor of figuring out what was wrong with his princess. He held her chin in his hand, using the thumb of his other hand to wipe away her tears.

"The one and only," he gave her a fake smile, hiding his concern. "What's wrong Princess?" He had to admit, that after the fight with Ladybug, he wanted to talk with…. someone. He hadn't exactly wanted to return to his empty house. And that is why he had been so quick to join her on her balcony. Who better to talk to than the girl he loved. Marinette always seemed to make his day better, brighter. And whenever he was around her, it felt like home. In a way his house never could. And for someone who was freezing from the cold in his own house, he welcomed Marinette's warmth.

"Today was rough," she answered. "Not only did my physical therapy appointment go poorly, but I got into a fight with my best friend, and he probably hates me now because of it," she admitted, with a small hiccup. "Okay, rough isn't really strong enough. This was one of the worst days I've had in a while,"

"That's awful, what started the fight?" he asked gently, not sure who this best friend, who was a guy, was. After all, he thought Alya was her best friend. But he didn't want to bring that up. Since there was no way Chat would know her so well. And he had to remind himself of that, he was Chat, and she was a civilian to him. He couldn't allow it to be more than that.

"My friend…. He…. he expects me to be someone I'm not, someone I can't be," she knew she shouldn't be talking about it with him, but she needed to talk, so…. "He was a member of my track team, before the accident…." she lied, so that she could keep her secret identity intacted. She hated doing it. First she fought with him, and now she was lying to him. _Great, just great Marinette,_ she thought to herself, _If he didn't hate you before, he will when he finds out._ "We kept in touch after, but he never seemed to accept the accident. He seemed to think I could still walk…. I've tried talking to him about it, but he just keeps telling me that I can still do everything I used to. He just won't accept that I'm broken now. I'm not the Marinette he knew. He sees me as someone else, puts me on a pedestal. He wants me to be more than I am. And it hurts so much! Sometimes, when I'm with him, I forget that I'm in this chair, and I feel free, I feel like I can finally be myself again. He makes me feel whole, makes me feel like the accident didn't destroy my life, that there is still a life to keep living. He keeps me going, and I love him for it…."

"I love him for everything, actually. Maybe that's why it hurts so much. How do you tell the person you love that you'll never be who they want you to be? How can you deal with the person you love, your best friend, wanting you to be something you're not. He's kept me going, saved my life, and yet, what can I give back to him…. nothing. I can't even be who he thinks I am. No, I'm broken, and… And why would he ever care about someone like me, when he wants, and deserves someone better. Someone who can be who he wants them to be. Someone who can walk. Someone perfect. Someone who isn't broken," Marinette rambled on, breaking Chat's heart with every word she said.

"Princess…." Chat said, slightly in shock with all he heard. It had bruised and broken his heart. Marinette, his Princess, loved someone else. And apparently, that someone else made her feel like this. Would it be too much to claw that idiot's eyes out for doing this to his princess…. Probably. Did that mean he wasn't seriously considering it…. Definitely not. "Whoever this guy is… He shouldn't make you feel like this…. "

"He doesn't know…. I would never tell him…. I got in a fight with him today, and he probably hates me because of it. I want to apologise for all I've said…. But I'm not sure even an apology was enough. I hope he will still be my friend. Though I know I'll never be anything more…." she gave a watery, weary smile. "Nope, why would he want me, when he has that cute friend of his that he's in love with…." she gave her head a small shake. "Sorry about wasting your time with this, I know you probably need to go home…"

"It's alright," Chat's voice was sincere. "I'm always here to help out a princess in need."

"Why do you call me that?" She asked, her voice unsteady.

"Call you what?" Chat was genuinely confused.

"Princess."

"That's because you are one,"

"Am not,"

"Well, then, it's because I found you up here, in your tower, hidden away from the world. And I, your knight in shining armour, feel it is my duty to protect the princess, especially if her prince charming makes her cry,"

"You are so silly," Marinette let out a breathy laugh. "Thanks for cheering me up, Chaton."

"Any time, Princess," he said, giving her a smile. Feeling like his work was done, after saying farewell to her, he headed back home. Deciding to ask Nino about all the guys on Marinette's old track team, he was bound to know them, right? He needed to know for…. Reasons.

 _ **I want to apologize for the delay in posting, but I am currently on vacation, and am not paying much attention to fanfiction, or posting stories. That also means I will not update for a week, or more. Since I don't have the next chapter written, and am not going to write it this week. Thank you all for understanding. I hope you have all enjoyed this chapter, and as always, I would love to hear what you think! Love you all - Alice O'Flynn**_


	6. Chapter 6

**I do not, and never shall own miraculous ladybug**

"Guys on Marinette's old track team, hmm…" Nino placed his hand on his chin, thinking hard. "There were a few. Not many though, the team was the best of the best, after all. There were only five people in the group in total. Cosette Beaumont, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Le Chien Kim, Anton Bellamy, and Philippe Duval. Why do you want to know?"

"I have my reasons…" Adrien said, too quickly.

"This isn't about your crush on Marinette, is it? Because if you're imprisoned for being a stalker, I'm not going to bail you out. Seriously, though, don't try to go around warning them away from Marinette, that's just creepy dude. From what I know, she's never liked an of those guys. So you don't have to worry about competition for your fair lady's hand," Nino joked, giving Adrien's shoulder a nudge.

"That's not it… I'm not… She just… I wasn't…." Adrien blushed and stuttered.

"Calm down, I was just joking, dude. Don't have a heart attack," Nino laughed. "Though, now you're starting to concern me. What's going on?"

"Well, last night Marinette… Marinette accidently called me. She didn't even know she did. She was actually talking with someone else… And before I could hang up, I overheard her crying. Crying about someone on her track team, that she loves. And I was just wondering…" Adrien lied, trying to explain it without giving away his secret identity, or lying blatantly. At least it wasn't too far from the truth. She had not been talking to Adrien about it, she had been talking to Chat Noir. The fact that Adrien just happened to overhear in the same time, just a consequence of a secret identity.

"Could be Kim. After all, most people thought they were together. They were the best of friends, close as Mari and I were. Kim was absolutely gone on her. He would follow her around like a puppy dog. You could practically see the hearts in his eyes. But she never seemed to notice. Especially since she had her own crush at the time,"

"Couldn't be him… This guy is apparently in love with someone else."

"Like how Kim seems to have a crush on Chloe now?"

"What?"

"You didn't know? Honestly, that's what got Kim akumatized on Valentines. He was trying to confess to her, but she just made fun of him."

"Oh… Oh…."

"Really a step down from liking Marinette. But I also don't really blame him from moving on from Marinette. Since Mari did close off after the accident. And now Kim treats her like she's made of glass. Sometimes, I catch a look in his eyes, that tells me he never really moved on. It's more like he's trying to distract himself. Trying to move on."

"If Marinette loves him, and he loves her, I hope it works out for them," Adrien said, with what Nino had been saying, it made sense that Kim was the one who Marinette was talking about the night before.

"Wow, no 'But Marinette's my Princess' or 'She's mine'?" Nino was shocked. He wasn't expecting Adrien to give up that easily. Truthfully, Nino would much rather Adrien date Marinette, then Kim. Being Mari's best friend, he was definitely protective of her. And he didn't like how Kim had been treating her since her accident. He saw how much it had hurt Mari. So when Adrien came around, treating her like a normal person, he was happy. He saw how much it helped Marinette. After all, it couldn't have been a coincidence that as soon as Adrien arrived in school, Marinette was getting better.

"I just want her to be happy, that's all. If Kim will make her happy, then I'm glad. She deserves to be happy," Adrien said, a soft smile on his face.

Marinette wheeled into the classroom, feeling better than she had the day before. Her chat with Chat helped her a lot. He had cheered her up. And after that, she started to believe that it wouldn't be that bad if she shared her identity with him. He cared about her, at least a little. Even if he didn't love her like she loved him, she was glad to know that he didn't hate her civilian form. He seemed to know her, outside of his mask. And cared enough to try and calm her tears. He had actually cared what was bothering her. That might not have been a love confession, but at least it was a start. And a good start.

Marinette was humming as she entered the classroom, getting the attention of a few of her fellow classmates. Mainly Nathaniel, Kim, Adrien, Nino and Alya.

"Morning M, you're in a good mood this morning. I take it your appointment went well?" Alya said, going up to her best friend.

"Morning Alya. And it didn't really go that great…" Marinette said, though even remembering the bad appointment couldn't sour her great mood. Not after her conversation with Chat. Even though it probably didn't mean that much to him, it meant the world to her. "But it's alright. I didn't expect that much from it. I still can't walk."

"You don't sound that bummed,"

"Well, as the therapists always says, it's slow work."

"I'm glad you're still so happy." Alya said, smiling. "Does it have to do with a certain pair of superheroes who were patrolling last night?" Marinette blushed, much to the interest of Alya. As well as Nino, and Adrien, who were sitting near enough to hear them.

"Maybe," She answered, playing with the hem of her shirt.

"Seriously, you may love the duo even more than me. And that's a lot."

"I just look up to them, you know…"

"Especially Chat Noir," Alya teased, and Marinette turned bright red. Eyes downcast, while she never stopped playing with her shirt hem.

"Just shut up… please…" Marinette mumbled.

"Sorry, Mari, I didn't mean to upset you," Alya apologised.

"It's alright…. I know you didn't mean to. But yes…. I did see Chat Noir while he was patrolling last night." Marinette practically whispered.

"Oh, girl," Alya said, excited.

"Hello Paris!" A voice sounded over the school's intercom. Interrupting the conversations the classmates were having. "I'm Dark Swan." Suddenly, her voice changed, becoming monotone. "Chloe Bourgeois, you laughed at me, called me pathetic… you hurt me Chloe, and now I will show you what real pain is like," The akuma's voice was bone chilling. Dark and evil.

"Sorry Alya, I…. I have to go… to… to…." Marinette mumbled, starting to wheel towards the door.

"Marinette, wait, it's not safe out there. You should stay here, where it's safe," Alya said, taking hold of Marinette's wheelchair, and stopping her.

"I agree with Alya, you need to stay here Mari," Nino agreed.

"You stay here, I'll go see where the akuma is," Adrien said, slipping out the door, before anyone could protest.

"Guys…" Marinette protested, with a sigh. She needed to get out of there, to transform into Ladybug. But it seemed like her friends where trying to protect her, so she couldn't really be mad.

 _ **I want to start by thanking you all for putting up with my two week absence. I had a wonderful vacation at the beach. Getting to spend time with my brother, as well as my sister and niece. It was so fun and relaxing. When I got back, I had employee orientation for my new job, as well as other things. So I didnt have much time for writing. And I didn't want to upload a chapter that I didn't really like myself. But now, I'm finally happy with this chapter, and I didn't want you guys to have to wait any longer. I hope you all like it. As always, I would love to hear from you. Love ya all - Alice O'flynn**_


	7. Chapter 7

The door opened, and a teenage girl in a ballerina outfit was standing there. Her face blank, empty of all emotions. "Chloe!" she said loudly. "You think you're so special. You think I'm weak because I feel pain. Now I don't, but you will. You will feel true loss, you will feel the pain I've felt." The akuma kept walking towards Chloe, almost everyone else in the room froze. Alya quickly fumbled for her phone, so she could film for the Ladyblog. Marinette was looking around frantically, hoping that Chat Noir would show up soon, or that she would be able to get away soon, to transform. After all, Paris needed her. And now that the akuma was right there, it would be harder for her to get away. Paris needed her, but since no one knew, it was hard sometimes, to get away. The akuma's arm was extended towards Chloe, it seemed like she was charging up some sort of blast. Though Marinette couldn't seem to get away to transform, she still needed to do something. She was a hero after all, even if she wasn't wearing the suit, she was still going to help.

Marinette was brave, she always had been, well, that was until the accident. Before then, she was really the hero, the everyday type of hero. Now that she was in a chair, though, it was harder for her to be brave. Harder for her to be the hero. But being Ladybug made her brave again. And now, she felt like she could conquer the world. Well, as long as Chat Noir was by her side.

"I'll take away what is most precious to you, so you will know my pain. You can't escape me, Chloe," the akuma spat, venom filling her voice.

"Chloe, hide, quickly!" Marinette called out, making the akuma turn towards her, startled, while Chloe hid behind a desk.

"Poor, poor girl." Dark Swan started walking towards Marinette.

"Marinette, no!" Alya called, trying to jump in front the girl, so that the akuma couldn't get to Marinette.

"OUt of the way, pest!" Dark Swan spat, throwing Alya across the room.

"Alya!" Mari called out. Alya was barely moving, but at least she was still moving. She whimpered in pain, but it didn't seem like she was too badly injured. The akuma had made her way closer to Marinette, so that when Marinette looked up from her best friend's body, Dark Swan was standing right in front of her.

"Marinette, is it? Poor Marinette, you know what pain is. You know what loss is. I can see it in your eyes. Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. You're going to be one of my dancers. I will give you back what you lost, so you can help me get back what I lost," Dark Swan said, her voice sweet. But Marinette shook her head. She couldn't side with the akuma. She was a hero, she couldn't give into any selfish wishes. Then again, even if she got the use of her legs back, it wouldn't be for good. It would be just until the akuma was caught… Which wouldn't happen unless Ladybug showed up… Which was why she couldn't give in.

"You can either do it willingly, or not. You'll understand, dear one, you'll understand as soon as you're one of my dancers," the akuma told Mari, shooting a beam at her, transforming her into a ballerina.

When Chat Noir arrived in the classroom, there was an air of panic. Alya was on the ground, looking like she was in pain, with Juleka, Rose, and Nino fussing over her. Chloe was hiding, shaking under a desk. Mylene was cowering into Ivan, and the rest of the class was nowhere to be seen. Some of them could have run out of the room. But the part that made Adrien's blood run cold, was the empty wheelchair in the center of the room. Marinette was nowhere to be seen.

"Chat Noir…." Alya said, voice pained.

"Alya, rest, you're hurt," Nino chided.

"No… Chat… Chat Noir. Help… Help Marinette, she was taken by the akuma," she said, between gritted teeth.

"What happened?" Chat asked, getting closer to Alya.

"The akuma came here. Apparently Blonde there made fun of her, and she wanted revenge. Mari got in her way, saving Blonde, but getting the attention on herself. Alya tried to get between them, but the akuma threw her out of the way to get to Mari. Turned Mari into her 'Dancer' then left. I'm not sure where they went," Nino filled Chat in.

"You should take Alya to the nurse, she seems to be in pain," Chat Noir said, and Nino nodded.

"Help Marinette, please…. Save my best friend," Alya said, wincing with every word.

"I will, Ladybug and I will save her," Chat reassured her, before leaving the classroom. He didn't want any civilians, especially his classmates, to see the terror that ran through him when he realized what happened. He needed to take a break. Needed to talk to someone. Maybe he should talk to Plagg, get some ideas….

The halls of the school were empty, giving Chat a space to freak out in. He didn't even notice the little red kwami flying towards him.

"Plagg, claws in," Adrien said, he was at a loss of what to do. He sure hoped Ladybug was fighting the akuma. He wanted to call her, but he couldn't let her see the fear he had, of having to fight Marinette, the fear of Marinette being hurt. He needed to get a hold of himself before he could help Ladybug fight the akuma.

"Adrien, what's wrong?" Plagg asked. The teasing died on Plagg's lips when he saw the fear on his chosen's face.

"The akuma has Marinette," Adrien said, trying not to hyperventilate. "What if she hurts Marinette? What if I have to fight Marinette? What should I do?"

"Calm down, that's what you should do. Remember, once Ladybug cleanses the akuma, everything will go back to normal. She'll be okay, she'll be safe,"

"But what if…"

"Calm down, Ladybug will fix everything," Plagg said, trying to calm Adrien still.

"About that," another kwami interjected. Adrien looked down at the red bug, and it took him a second to realize what was happening. "Chat, this up to you. Ladybug won't be able to help, she is kind of indisposed at the moment. She sent me to help you out. I can purify the akuma, but other than that, us kwamis aren't really allowed to mess with the human world too much,"

"You're all about the rules Sugar Cube," Plagg said, looking at Tikki.

"The rules got stricter after the black plague. That's all your fault," Tikki said.

"So, your name is Sugar Cube?" Adrien asked, interrupting the kwamis.

"No, that's just Plagg's nickname for me. I'm Tikki, nice to meet you," Tikki said.

"Nice to meet you Tikki," Adrien said, feeling calmer than usual. Even though he knew he should probably be even more freaked out, since he was all on his own for this. Having Tikki there made it easier. And Plagg was right, Marinette would be okay. "Alright, Plagg, Claws out!" Adrien said, transforming into Chat Noir, and heading out to find the Akuma.

 _ **Sorry it's been so long since I last posted. Having a new job, being in a show, writers block, and the holidays have kept me from doing much writing recently. And the small amount of writing I have been doing, has been for my own original stories. But I have the day off today, and I wanted to update the story. I hope it's worth the wait, and I'm so sorry for how long it took me to get around to updating. I'm not going to be making any promises about when I'll update next, since my life is pretty crazy right now. But I will try to update sooner, rather than later. I would love to hear what you think of this chapter, any ideas you have for late chapters, or anything you would like to say. Love you all - Alice**_


	8. Chapter 8

There was a haze over Marinette's mind. All she really knew, was that she was walking again, and she no longer felt pain. She often lived with pain, it was her constant companion, ever since that fateful day. Since the lorry crash, so it was more unusual for her not to feel pain, than it was to feel pain. But now, it felt like that day had been erased from her life. That loss. No pain, no fear, she was a normal girl again. She could just see it, running track, winning again and again. Being whole, being who she wanted to be, when she met Chat for the first time. Then she wouldn't be afraid. She would tell him who she was, and he might love her back. She would have her happy ending. She would be happy again. She hadn't been happy for so long…

But there was one thing that was clouding her happiness, and that was the fact that she knew it was wrong. Even though she could walk again, it wasn't her controlling her body, it was the akuma. The pain had been wiped away, but only temporarily. And she wasn't the hero. She was Marinette, and she was failing her job. She was supposed to fight the akumas, not join them. And so, even if it killed her, she was going to fight against it. Fight against having everything she wanted. Fight her own happiness. And that alone was painful enough to bring her almost to tears.

It was as if she was floating in an ocean, with no sight of land. She had no clue how to get ahold of herself, how to fight the akuma off. She needed to help Chat. She couldn't leave him in a lurch. She had to find dry land, even if she was afloat in an endless ocean.

She had never known anyone to get out of an akuma's control on their own. It was always because of an outside source. So she wasn't even it was possible to fight the Akuma's influence on her own, but at least she was going to try. The more she fought, the more the haze cleared, but also, the more pain she felt.

She… She was there again. On her way to the track meet. Her parents were in the front seats, they were singing road trip songs. Marinette was antsy, it was getting close to the time they were supposed to be there. But they had been stuck in traffic for a good fifteen minutes, so they were running behind. Now that they were getting closer to the track meet, the traffic was going much better. Everything was good, and Marinette could breathe easy…. Well, that was until there was a sudden stop. There was an articulated lorry behind them, and when they stopped so suddenly, the lorry didn't stop…. It happened in an instant, and Marinette's life was changed forever.

As the haze was lifting, the pain returned full force. Worse than it had been before, even. She felt the pain of the crash, and everything went white. She could hardly breathe, hardly think.

Chat Noir was fighting with Dark Swan, apparently a skilled ballerina, by how she moved. She was surrounded by her dancers, sending them to fight Chat. Everything had been normal, well, as normal as it could be without Ladybug, until one of the dancers started collapsing. One that looked a lot like Marinette. Tears were streaming down her face, a look of pain on her face. Thinking fast, Chat Noir caught the girl, and started running, as her akuma given costume dissolved, and she became, once again, Marinette. He started jumping over buildings, running as fast as he could, to get the girl in his arms away from the akuma.

He only stopped when he had landed on Marinette's balcony, where he laid her down on her lawn chair. He'd noticed how much the young girl was shaking. Her eyes were red with tears, and she was sobbing. He held her, for a little while. For as long as he could. Sitting near her, the entire world disappeared. And all there was in the world, were those two.

"Ch…. chat….?" Marinette said through sobs.

"Sh, princess, don't talk," Chat responded, soothing her hair. It broke his heart to see his princess cry. He wanted to help. He wanted to make her smile again. He loved her beautiful smile. Marinette let out a few more sobs, before she pushed Chat away. It felt to him, as if she ripped out his heart, by the simple act of pushing him away, but he schooled his expression, so she wouldn't know how much it had hurt him.

"Chat, did you… did you get the akuma?" Marinette asked, through tears and hiccups.

"No, but don't worry about that, you're safe now. You're safe Marinette. The akuma won't hurt you anymore," he said, reassuring himself as much as he was reassuring her.

"Then how…. How am I?"

"You fought it, Princess. You fought it off yourself, and got out from under its power,"

"But…. Then it's alone, destroying Paris…. You… You have to go, Chat….. You have to go….."

"Princess, I want to make sure you're okay. I don't want to leave until I know you're okay. I want you to be safe Princess."

"I'll be alright, you need to save Paris. That's what you do… You're… you're a hero,"

"But…"

"I'll stay with her Chat, keep her safe. If that makes you feel better. Just bring the akuma to me when you catch it, and I'll purify it for you," Tikki chimed in, stopping Chat's protests. "I'll make sure she's alright, make sure is safe, you can trust me." Chat studied Tikki for a second, cocking his head to the side, before nodding.

"Marinette, this is Tikki, she is what is known as a Kwami. She'll stay with you, for as long as you need. And I'll check on you after the akuma is caught. If you need me, let her know. She'll let me know if you're in trouble," Chat explained. "I have to go save the world now," he laughed, winking at Marinette, before jumping off the roof towards the akuma.

Marinette watched him go with mixed feelings. She hated herself for not being the hero, for letting herself be controlled by the akuma. She was in pain, physical and emotional. Pain that made it hard to breathe. She was disappointed in herself. Disappointed, but giddy at the same time. Giddy because Chat winked at her. Giddy because he called her princess. Giddy because he cared.

Tears were running down her face, tears of joy, pain, hate, and disappointment. But she knew she had to get over it, she had to stop feeling sorry for herself, and be the hero. She needed to be Ladybug.

"Marinette, are you okay? What happened when you were under the akuma's control?" Tikki asked, worried. Snuggling up to Marinette's face, and wiping away her tears.

"I'm… I will be okay. What happens doesn't matter anymore," she responded, wiping her tears, and sitting up. Tikki buzzed around her with concern. "It's time for Ladybug to make her appearance,"

"But Marinette, don't you think you need to rest? You've had a pretty rough time. Chat and I can take care of it. And if you transform now, Chat will probably figure out who you are,"

"I need to help him… I need Ladybug right now," Marinette told Tikki, looking her straight in the eyes. "Please, Tikki,"

"Alright, Marinette, but we're going to talk after this, okay?" Tikki responded. "And promise me you're coming straight back here, as quickly as you can. Chat is going to check up on you after all,"

"I promise," she replied. "Tikki, spots on!" She called, transforming into Ladybug.

 _ **Yep, I'm back. A bit sooner than I was last time. I've seen some of you say that you love Marichat, and I have to say, Marichat is my favorite ship of the love square. I love the idea that they will become friends, then fall in love. I also like the idea of a reverse crush. I want Adrien to fall in love with Marinette, for Marinette's sake. Since that is the real her. And I want Marinette to fall in love with Chat, because that is who Adrien really is. So that's why I'm doing this as a reverse crush, instead of regular. I've also heard some people wonder if she is going to be in the chair forever, or if she is going to be healed. With what the accident was, there is the chance that she will be able to walk again. But I at least don't want to do that during the run of the story. Because part of this story is about her accepting herself, with her disability. And I think making her able to walk again, would cheapen that aspect of the story.**_

 _ **This month, I actually got to go to ALA, and I met not only Ezra Weisz, but I also met Bryce Papenbrook. It was so cool to talk to them, and get Ezra's autograph. I went to the miraculous**_ _ **panel**_ _ **, and nerded out with my friends about the season 3 pictures they shared. I also got to ask Bryce if he preferred voicing Adrien or Chat Noir (I know they're the same person, but how he speaks is different as Chat). It was really cool, and it is what encouraged me to get back to writing this**_ _ **fanfiction.**_

 _ **As always, I would love to hear from you. If you have ideas for this story, or any commentary on it, I would love to hear it. Love you all! - Alice**_


	9. Chapter 9

"My lady, it is a pleasure to have you join us," Chat said, with a look of surprise, relief, and just a tiny bit of fear. "The akuma is in her necklace,"

"Thanks for biding time for me, Chaton." Ladybug's smile didn't quite reach her eyes, and Chat could notice that something was off. "Sorry I wasn't here earlier."

"No worries, my lady." He grinned his signature grin, though there was something off with him as well. It was like there was a weight between them, that neither of them could shake. After what had happened earlier, neither of them were really in the mood for their normal jokes and conversations. "How is Marinette? Is she better? Is she safe?" Worry sparkled in Chat's eyes.

"She's fine, Chaton," Ladybug replied, touched by how much he cared. "Tikki came and found me once Marinette was with her parents. She's safe."

"She's strong, that girl," Chat mused, dreamily. "Got out from under the akuma's power all on her own…" He didn't notice how his words made Ladybug squirm. He couldn't tell how uncomfortable she was when he was talking about her, and he definitely didn't see the blush that covered her face. A scream ripped through Paris, getting Chat and Ladybug's attention. "But, that's a conversation for another time. Right now, Paris needs us,"

"Pound it," the heroes chimed together, giving each other a fist bump. Though they seemed to do it more out of habit, since their minds were In front of them, a young ballerina sat, crying. Holding tightly to her black and white necklace, in which the akuma had resided. Her dark hair was covering most of her features, and matched with her black dress.

"Uh… Chat?" Ladybug said, after a few seconds. Her voice shaky, and Chat looked at her oddly. It was the first time he heard her voice shake since the first time they worked together.

"Yes, M'lady?" he responded, tilting his head to the side. He was starting to worry for her, as well, with how she was acting.

"Can... Can you help out the girl? I need to go home," Ladybug said, an odd quality to her voice.

"Of course, M'lady, of course. Just…" Chat said, looking at Ladybug. "Just take care, okay? Promise me you'll take care of yourself,"

"Sure, Chat, sure," Ladybug said, offhanded, before using her yo-yo to vault towards home. It wasn't far, but by the time she got home, she was shaking. She was too exhausted, far too exhausted, and in pain. In worse pain that she had been since that first month after the accident. Even the magic of her miraculous couldn't keep the pain away any longer. She entered her room, and fell into her bed, before calling off her transformation.

"Marinette, are you okay?" Tikki said, floating over to Marinette's head. Marinette shook her head, with a muffled sob. "What's wrong? Do you want to talk about it?" Marinette shook her head again. "You look exhausted. What happened to you when you were under the akuma's control?" Marinette shook her head yet again. "Marinette, please, tell me what's wrong," Tikki said, pleading, but Marinette just shook her head. "I'll let you get some sleep, but please, talk to me about it in the morning, okay?" Marinette finally nodded in response.

Curling up in her bed, Marinette closed her eyes, and cried herself to sleep. Hoping that things would be better in the morning. Hoping she would feel better. Hoping that the pain would go away. And hoping that she wouldn't feel as guilty, as horrible, as she did right then. For not being able to help Chat immediately, and for letting herself be controlled by the akuma.

"Are you alright?" Chat asked the teenage girl who had been akumatized.

"No… no… I hurt people, Isa… Isa would be so disappointed in me," the teen said, tears flowing down her face.

"It's not your fault, you were being controlled by Hawkmoth. And I'm sure she wouldn't be disappointed," Chat said, his voice kind. He was hoping to calm the girl.

"She… She told me to… To live my life, to make her proud. But I miss her. I miss her so much that it hurts. I'm not sure how to live without her," the teen cried.

"I can't even begin to understand what you're going through," he replied, helping the girl up. "Do you have friends, family you can talk to? That can help you?"

"I… I do…" she responded, holding tightly to her necklace.

"Why don't you call them," he stated. "They'll be able to help you far more than I can right now. They probably understand much better what you're going through."

"Okay," she said, thoughtfully. Taking out her cellphone, and dialing in a number. Chat's ring beeped, for the third time, and he realized he had to go.

"I'm sorry, I need to go. Please, talk with your family, they can help you," Chat said quickly, before he used his baton to vault into the sky. Promising himself that he would check on Marinette before he went home. He was jumping over the roofs between him and Marinette's house, as quickly as he could. He was still rather worried, even though everything was fixed, thanks to Ladybug. Yes, Marinette was no longer in danger. But that still didn't mean he wasn't worried for her. She really seemed upset after everything with the akuma.

When Chat arrived at Marinette's place, he knocked on her window, but received no answer. He put his ear against the window, wondering if she was even home. Thanks to his super hearing, he could hear her deep and even breaths, signalling to him that she was asleep. And he returned home, comforting himself in reminding himself that he would see her the next day, at school. He returned home.

 _ **I know this is a smaller upload, sorry, but this is all I have ready right now. I'm still working on this story, but I've recently been crazy busy with work, as well as having some pretty rough writer's block. So it's been really hard to write recently. I've even had a hard time with my original stories. But I haven't abandoned it, that I promise you. I already have a reveal planned (not the big reveal, but a reveal) and some ideas for where this story is going, but don't know for sure. The next chapter that I'm working on has some aspects from a suggestion from Happy0207. As always, I would love to hear your ideas, and your reviews. Love you all - Alice**_


End file.
